lemongrass
A citral-rich aromatic grass used culinarily and as a calming tea. Modest human evidence for mild anxiolytic and sleep-supporting effects from the tea (Goes 2015 cortisol RCT; Carlini 1986 mixed results). Topical essential oil shows real in vitro antifungal activity but carries skin-sensitization risk at concentrations above 0.7%. GERD aggravation from citral content is a real consideration.
Quick decision guide
May help most
Culinary use in Southeast Asian cooking, a mildly calming bedtime tea, and traditional topical use for skin and nail fungus (with proper dilution).
Common dosing range
Tea: 1–2 g dried lemongrass (or 1 fresh stalk's tender base, sliced) steeped 5–10 minutes, up to 2–3 cups daily. Topical essential oil: dilute to ≤0.7% in a carrier oil; do not apply undiluted.
When to expect effects
Hours for mild relaxation from a single tea; days to weeks for topical antifungal use.
Watch out for
Lemongrass can aggravate GERD or acid reflux. Essential oil at higher concentrations causes contact dermatitis. Concentrated essential oil should never be swallowed.
Evidence snapshot
What is it
Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) is an aromatic tropical grass widely used as a culinary herb and traditional remedy. Supplements use the dried stalk, leaf, essential oil, or extract.
Is it worth it for you?
Use this as a quick fit check, not a diagnosis.
Worth considering if…
Probably skip if…
Evidence at a glance
| Goal | Effect | Best fit | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
Mild anxiolytic and stress-buffering effect (tea) Limited Evidence | Modest cortisol-response reduction in 2015 trial; mixed results across older single-dose studies | Adults wanting a calming evening tea as part of a wind-down routine; those preferring non-pharmaceutical options for mild day-to-day stress | Some effect within 1–2 hours of a cup; cumulative effect across days of regular use |
Topical antifungal and antimicrobial Limited Evidence | In vitro inhibition of dermatophytes and Candida at 1–10% concentrations; clinical trial evidence in humans is limited | Adults with mild skin fungal complaints willing to use a properly diluted essential oil; people preferring botanical alternatives to topical azoles | Days to weeks of consistent topical use |
Mild digestive carminative (traditional) Mixed Evidence | Subjective digestive comfort in traditional use; no controlled human trial evidence | Adults using traditional after-meal teas for mild digestive complaints | Within an hour after the meal (traditional use pattern) |
Mild anxiolytic and stress-buffering effect (tea)
- Effect
- Modest cortisol-response reduction in 2015 trial; mixed results across older single-dose studies
- Best fit
- Adults wanting a calming evening tea as part of a wind-down routine; those preferring non-pharmaceutical options for mild day-to-day stress
- Time
- Some effect within 1–2 hours of a cup; cumulative effect across days of regular use
Topical antifungal and antimicrobial
- Effect
- In vitro inhibition of dermatophytes and Candida at 1–10% concentrations; clinical trial evidence in humans is limited
- Best fit
- Adults with mild skin fungal complaints willing to use a properly diluted essential oil; people preferring botanical alternatives to topical azoles
- Time
- Days to weeks of consistent topical use
Mild digestive carminative (traditional)
- Effect
- Subjective digestive comfort in traditional use; no controlled human trial evidence
- Best fit
- Adults using traditional after-meal teas for mild digestive complaints
- Time
- Within an hour after the meal (traditional use pattern)
Evidence for 3 uses
AI-assisted evidence assessment — talk to your doctor before relying on any single supplement.
Mild anxiolytic and stress-buffering effect (tea)
Supplement benefitGoes et al. 2015 (PMID 25837508) found that repeated lemongrass tea consumption blunted the salivary cortisol response and self-reported anxiety after a controlled stressor in healthy volunteers. The earlier Costa et al. 2008 trial (PMID 17853640) tested a single 1 g aqueous extract dose and did not find significant anxiolytic separation from placebo on most measures — suggesting cumulative or context-dependent effect. Carlini 1986 (PMID 3520153) similarly did not find a strong single-dose effect for insomnia. The overall picture: mild, possibly cumulative calming effect from regular tea consumption; not a robust anxiolytic on demand.
Bottom line: Reasonable calming tea for everyday use. Don't substitute it for treatment of diagnosed anxiety or insomnia.
Evidence is mixed
Trials are small, single-center, and use varied endpoints. The 1986 Carlini trial and 2008 Costa single-dose trial found no significant effect; the 2015 Goes cortisol study showed positive effect with repeated use. Effect is real but mild; don't expect strong anxiolysis.
Topical antifungal and antimicrobial
Supplement benefitLemongrass essential oil (predominantly citral and geraniol) shows broad-spectrum antifungal activity in vitro against dermatophytes (causing athlete's foot, ringworm, tinea cruris) and Candida species. Boukhatem et al. 2014 (PMID 24735615) demonstrated topical antifungal activity in vitro at 1–10% concentrations and anti-inflammatory effects in animal edema models. Human clinical trials of properly diluted lemongrass oil for tinea or onychomycosis are limited but several small pilot studies report symptomatic improvement. Note: undiluted essential oil causes contact dermatitis; max safe dermal concentration per Tisserand is ~0.7%.
Bottom line: Real antifungal activity in vitro; modest human evidence. Dilute properly (≤0.7%) to avoid contact dermatitis. Standard antifungals work better and faster for established infections.
Mild digestive carminative (traditional)
Supplement benefitLemongrass tea has been used traditionally in Southeast Asian, Latin American, and African herbal medicine for digestive comfort — mild bloating, gas, post-meal discomfort. Mechanism is attributed to citral and citronellal acting as mild antispasmodics on smooth muscle in animal models. Modern controlled human evidence for digestive effects is sparse to absent; this is a culturally documented use without RCT validation.
Bottom line: Pleasant after-meal tea with mild traditional use; not a serious digestive therapy. Avoid if GERD is a concern.
How it works
How to take it
What to track
Bottom line: Drink the tea as a calming beverage; cook with the stalks. Save essential oil for topical use only (properly diluted). If you have GERD, choose chamomile or peppermint tea instead.
5 commercial forms
Compare the main delivery options and what they’re best suited for.
Fresh lemongrass stalks (culinary)
Most-used formPale-green to white tender base of the stalk used in Thai, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Cambodian cooking. Bruise the white base with the side of a knife to release aroma. Add to soups (tom yum), curries, and stocks. Remove fibrous pieces before serving.
Volatile aromatics released when bruised or sliced.
Dried lemongrass tea
For brewingChopped dried stalks or tea bags. Most studied form for anxiolytic and digestive use. Steep 1–2 g in 250 mL hot water for 5–10 minutes. Combines well with chamomile, peppermint, or ginger for blended teas.
Standard hot-water extraction; reasonable consumer form.
Lemongrass essential oil (topical)
ConcentratedSteam-distilled volatile oil, ~65–85% citral. Use diluted at ≤0.7% in a carrier oil (jojoba, coconut, almond) for topical application — about 2 drops per 5 mL of carrier. Skin sensitization risk above this concentration. Do not ingest.
Highly concentrated; respect 0.7% dermal dilution.
Lemongrass hydrosol / floral water
GentlerBy-product of essential oil distillation — the aromatic water phase. Much milder than essential oil; can be used as a facial spray, room mist, or in cooking. Skin sensitization risk is much lower than concentrated oil.
Mild aromatic; safer than concentrated EO.
Lemongrass extract capsules
Limited evidenceEncapsulated dried herb or standardized extract. Used in some pilot studies. Limited consumer evidence; tea or culinary use is the more validated route.
Limited consumer track record.
Safety
Know the common side effects, key cautions, and who should avoid it.
Common side effects
Serious risks
Contact dermatitis and skin sensitization from concentrated lemongrass essential oil — max safe dermal concentration is ~0.7%. Patch-test on a small area first if using topically.
Acid reflux and GERD aggravation from lemongrass tea or essential oil — citral and other citrus-like compounds can relax the lower esophageal sphincter and worsen reflux symptoms.
Mucosal irritation and toxicity from ingested concentrated essential oil — do not swallow lemongrass essential oil; only food-grade culinary stalks and tea are appropriate for ingestion.
Who should avoid it
- People with GERD, acid reflux, peptic ulcer disease, or hiatal hernia — citral aggravates reflux symptoms.
- Anyone with documented allergy to grasses or citrus-family compounds; cross-reactivity is possible.
- Pregnant women considering high-dose tea or any internal essential oil use — animal studies show uterotonic effects of citral; safety in pregnancy is not established. Culinary use is generally accepted.
Pregnancy & breastfeeding
Culinary use of lemongrass in cooking (Thai, Vietnamese cuisine) is widely consumed in pregnancy without observed harm. High-dose medicinal tea use and any internal use of concentrated essential oil should be avoided due to citral's uterotonic effects in animal studies and insufficient human safety data. Topical use of properly diluted essential oil is unlikely to pose problems but specific pregnancy safety data is sparse — err toward food-form only.
Bottom line: Safe as a culinary herb and routine tea for most. Avoid if you have GERD. Treat essential oil as a topical-only, properly diluted preparation.
Interactions
Lemongrass tea can aggravate reflux symptoms and potentially blunt the symptomatic relief from acid-suppression therapy. If you're on reflux medication, watch for symptom worsening and avoid lemongrass if it triggers reflux.
Theoretical additive sedation with benzodiazepines, opioids, or sleep aids, given lemongrass's mild calming effect. Clinical relevance is low at tea doses; high-dose extract use deserves caution.
Animal data suggest mild blood-pressure-lowering effect from lemongrass; theoretical additive effect with antihypertensives at high tea intakes or extract use.
Preliminary animal data suggest mild hypoglycemic effect from lemongrass; clinical relevance unclear. Monitor blood glucose if combining therapeutic-dose extract with diabetes medications.
Choosing a product
What to look for on the label — and what to be skeptical of.
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Frequently asked questions
Is lemongrass safe during pregnancy?⌄
Culinary amounts are generally fine. Concentrated extracts and essential oils have limited safety data in pregnancy and are best avoided.
Does lemongrass help anxiety?⌄
Some small studies of lemongrass tea and aromatherapy report modest relaxing effects, but the evidence is preliminary.
References by claim
Mild anxiolytic and stress-buffering effect (tea)
Costa et al., 2008 — Cymbopogon citratus aqueous extract for anxiety in healthy volunteers — PubMed — J Ethnopharmacol (2008) link
Goes et al., 2015 — Lemongrass tea effects on cortisol and anxiety — PubMed — J Altern Complement Med (2015) link
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center — Lemongrass monograph — MSKCC About Herbs (2024) link
Carlini et al., 1986 — Cymbopogon citratus for insomnia and anxiety: early controlled study — PubMed — J Ethnopharmacol (1986) link
Topical antifungal and antimicrobial
Other references
Cymbopogon citratus on Wikidata — Wikidata link
Track lemongrass with Pilora
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Coming to App StoreDisclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This page is educational, not a substitute for personalized medical advice. Evidence grades are AI-assisted assessments — talk to your doctor before starting any new supplement, especially if you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, on medications, or managing a chronic condition.